Among today's legendary bands, few boast the broad appeal of Santana. With singles like "Evil Ways" and "Oye Como Va," Carlos Santana and his group paved the way for Latino influence in today's music. A fusion of jazz, rock, Latin American and African rhythms blended with folk and spiritual flourishes, Santana crosses cultural boundaries and bridges the generations. Fortunately for new and longtime fans alike, the band's residency at Mandalay Bay's House of Blues continues into 2020 with Santana: Greatest Hits Live.
Much of the richness of Carlos Santana's artistry can be traced back to his early childhood. Born in 1947, the 10-time Grammy winner grew up in Jalisco and Tijuana, Mexico, where his father taught guitar and violin to him and his brother. He relocated with the family to San Francisco during the 1960s hippie movement, where he fell under the spell of artists ranging from Miles Davis and Sly Stone to The Beatles and The Rolling Stones.
In 1966, he formed the Santana Blues Band with a trio of fellow street musicians. By January 1969, they'd already recorded their first album and would soon play the Woodstock music festival. That historic three-day concert yielded a film and soundtrack that catapulted the band into the global spotlight. They've been rocking the house ever since.
Through the years, the lineup and style of Santana has evolved and sometimes circled back, always under the guidance of their titular member and his life experiences. Even when it faded from the charts for a while, the band would come back even stronger with songs that appealed to a new generation.
One example of this is the 1999 album Supernatural, a collaboration with the likes of Eric Clapton, Wyclef Jean, Lauryn Hill, Dave Matthews, and CeeLo Green. It yielded the single "Smooth," a three-time Grammy-winner featuring vocals by Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty. A runaway smash that spent 12 weeks in the top spot, "Smooth" still holds Billboard Magazine's ranking as the No. 1 rock song in history and the No. 2 song overall.
When Santana the band isn't touring, Santana the man hangs his hat in Las Vegas. The 72-year-old grandfather has been a resident for the past decade and made headlines in 2013 when he purchased a mansion for $6 million. His love for the local community is evident through dedication to charities such as Three Square Food Bank, which provides nourishment for struggling families.
In 1998, Santana and his family created The Milagro Foundation, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to supporting young people in the areas of arts, health and education. In recent months, the Foundation has assisted victims of wildfires in California and storms in the Bahamas, and vulnerable individuals in Las Vegas.
With more than 50 years of recording, Santana shows no sign of slowing down. The 25th studio album Africa Speaks was released just last summer. And classic recordings like Supernatural are being re-released on vinyl in deluxe new versions, ready to be discovered all over again.
House of Blues, 7 p.m. Jan. 22, 24, 26, 28-29, 31 & Feb. 1, $99.50-$364 plus tax and fee, 18+. 800.745.3000 Ticketmaster
